Curtin University: Improving volunteer recruitment and engagement

Introduction

Curtin University operates across five countries, with more than 50,000 students and 3000 staff. Its community volunteering program is well known for providing students with valuable real-world experiences, building social connections, and creating meaningful impact across local schools, environmental projects, and community organisations.

Led by Marc Phillips, Community Programs and Volunteering Lead, the program delivers around 50 activities each year. These range from long-term initiatives to one-off community events, supported by student volunteers and volunteer team leaders.

To continue delivering high-quality experiences for both volunteers and community partners, Curtin University uses Rosterfy to streamline recruitment, reduce admin, and improve engagement.

The Challenge

Curtin University selected Rosterfy for its ability to streamline volunteer management, automate manual tasks, and improve the volunteer experience from discovery through to reporting.

Key capabilities include:

Efficient, digital-first operations

• Automating onboarding, communication, and program workflows
• Reducing admin so staff can focus on volunteer and community impact
• Allowing volunteer leaders to manage activities with better visibility
  

Improved recruitment and engagement

• Delivering timely and relevant communication through automated journeys
• Structuring clear recruitment and onboarding pathways to boost participation
• Supporting students with a smoother, more consistent experience
  

Better tools for volunteers and partners

• Empowering volunteers to self-manage their profile, availability and sign-ups
• Enhancing the user experience across all programs and activities
• Providing a centralised platform for staff, volunteer leaders and partners
  

Expanding use beyond volunteers
Curtin University is also onboarding community partners directly through Rosterfy, allowing schools and organisations to:

• Complete onboarding steps through automated emails
• Submit required documentation, insurance, and information
• Receive timely surveys to provide post-event feedback

This combined system gives Marc’s team a clearer picture of activity outcomes and simplifies reporting.

The Impact

With Rosterfy, Curtin University is improving volunteer recruitment, strengthening engagement, and enhancing the experience for both students and community partners.

Measurable improvements

• Reduced administrative workload across recruitment, onboarding and reporting
• Improved communication with volunteers using personalised automation
• Better visibility across 50 programs and 60 to 70 team leaders
• Stronger partnership management through streamlined partner onboarding
  

Community and student outcomes

• Students benefit from new skills, confidence and improved employability
• Community partners receive consistent support from a well-prepared volunteer base
• Higher quality experiences that encourage ongoing participation
  

Unexpected benefits

By onboarding community partners within Rosterfy, Curtin University can:

• Gather important documentation automatically
• Capture event feedback and impact metrics more accurately
• Streamline reporting for future planning and improvement
  

Lasting legacy

Curtin University is now equipped with modern tools to support long-term volunteer growth. Marc and his team can focus on what matters most – delivering meaningful experiences that benefit students, partners and the wider community.